The present disclosure relates to the field of electrical protection. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to fuses and junction boxes for fuses.
Known fuse blocks and junction boxes for automobiles are complicated. FIG. 1 illustrates a known junction box 10. Junction box 10 includes a number of primary components, such as a fuse block 12, a cover 14 and a lower housing 16. Fuse block 12 includes an upper press-fit layer 18 that mates with a lower press-fit layer 20. Upper and lower press-fit layers 18 and 20 mate with an upper housing 22, which collectively mate with the lower housing 16. The cover 14 mates with the upper housing 22.
Known fuse block 12 holds a number of electrical devices 24. For example, the electrical devices 24 can include JCASE® fuses and MINI® fuses provided by the assignee of this invention, mini and micro relays, and solid state relays. The fuses can be blade fuses.
The fuses 26 are individually inserted frictionally into a pair projections 36 and 38, which are provided by a terminal 30 (FIG. 2). Terminal 30 is held fixed by upper and lower press-fit layers 18 and 20 as described below. The upper housing 22 defines apertures. Projections 36 and 38 of terminal 30 extend into the apertures, so that an operator may place a fuse 26, either initially or after an open fuse condition, into the pair of projections 36 and 38.
Referring to FIG. 2, a known “tuning fork” type terminal 30 is illustrated. Terminal 30 includes downwardly extending projections 32 and 34, which extend from upper press-fit layer 18, through lower press-fit layer 20, and through lower housing 16 for electrical connection to distribution wires within an automobile. Tuning fork terminal 30 also includes upwardly extending projections 36 and 38, which resemble a tuning fork, and which extend through apertures in upper press-fit layer 18. Projections 36 and 38 engage one of the blades of a male blade fuse 26 as described above.
It should be appreciated that known fuse block 12 of known junction box 10 includes a multitude of components that must press-fit together. The assembly requires many terminals, which add cost, complexity and weight.
The assembly of known fuse block 12 of known junction box 10 is relatively complicated. Some automobile manufacturers have accordingly tended to provide only one junction box 10 per vehicle. This creates a condition in which the load wires that run from the various electrical devices have to run all the way to the single junction box 10 regardless of the position of the load device in the vehicle. Extended lengths of load wires create weight, cost and increase the potential for short-circuiting.
A need therefore exists to provide a simplified automobile fuse block and junction box employing same.